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Coupes & Convertibles Honda S2000 Honda S2000 vs. Nissan 350Z
183 messages, Last post on Sep 08, 2007 at 11:04 AM
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Replying to: ga_king (Apr 24, 2007 2:12 pm) 
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Replying to: ga_king (Apr 24, 2007 2:12 pm) You must have confused the Z with something else. While it uses the same platform as the Infiniti G35, it was designed from the beginning to be a roadster and a coupe. It definitely handles like a sports car, not a sedan. Which you might know if you'd ever driven one.  Matter of personal preference, but to me the Z looks and feels like a fun-to-drive sports car. The S2000 looks, handles, and sounds like a toy. But choice is a good thing. If you're happy with what you've got, that's all that counts.
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Replying to: biancar (Apr 26, 2007 8:58 am) I think you are the one that is confused. The 3,600+ lb 350Z convertible is about as far from a "ground up" roadster as Rosie O'Donnell is from a trim, fit, female athlete. Nissan's ingenious engineers borrowed the engine from the Maxima and Pathfinder, the chassis from a coupe and just about everything else they could get their hands on from the spare parts bin. The coupe is no better, outweighing the S2000 and Cayman by 600 lbs. If you think that makes for great two seat sports car like handling, then I wish you and Rosie the best on those hot dates on winding roads. Perhaps if you have her lean in the opposite direction of your turns, you could improve the handling to only one rung below S2000 level.  P.S. I have nothing against Nissan, per se. My 1995 Maxima SE 5-speed is still going strong at our second home with 154k miles on the odometer. But even it weighs 600 lbs less than the 350Z convertible and 400 lbs less than the coupe. Somewhere between the idea of bringing back the spirit of the original 240Z and the execution of the current 350Z, Nissan went into cost cutting, parts sharing, the hell with building a real sports mode. They ended up with a car that is closer in weight to our former Isuzu Trooper than a real 2 seat sports car like the S2000, Cayman or Boxster. That may have made the company a lot of profit from mass market John Q Publics, but it didn't win any respect from real enthusiasts, like me, who not only have driven the 350Z, but also the original 240Z. And, Senator Quail, the 350Z is no worthy successor to the 240Z. Not even close.
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Replying to: habitat1 (Apr 26, 2007 3:45 pm) 
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Replying to: biancar (Apr 26, 2007 8:58 am) I think you hit the nail on the head - the S2000 is a "toy." A fast, playful, responsive, and fun toy. Other "toys" that I would love to own include the Lotus Elise, Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4, and Mazda Miata. The 350Z is certainly a fast and capable sports car, but it's more of a broadsword to Honda's rapier. |
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The original 03 weighed 3188 lbs by the way. From edmunds, the current 07 model: Curb Weight: 3339 lbs. Yes the roadster is heavy and more of a touring convertible than a roadster in the traditional sense. If you go back and look at the 96 300zx TT you will see that it weighed even more than the current Z but C&D consistently chose it over the other sports cars of the day. I think you are weighing your judgments on sports cars a little too heavily on this one aspect. There's a little more to it than that.
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Replying to: dat2 (Apr 26, 2007 4:01 pm) But I can spell potato. 
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Replying to: dat2 (Apr 26, 2007 4:15 pm) So you are saying I should look more favorably on Rosie, because she didn't used to be quite as fat? I probably got my 3,402 pound figure from one of the other models (Touring or Grand Touring). Which are at least more aptly named than the slightly less obese "Enthusiast" model. I don't think you score any points by saying the current 350Z is lighter than the 300ZX TT. That so-called sports car died a pretty undignified death by being overweight and overpriced at the same time. And, for the record, I never saw a comparison test in which the Supra TT didn't pummel it in performance. I do concur that weight is not the only factor by which to judge the quality of a sports car. But if you fail as miserably as Nissan has on that front, not much else matters, IMO. Heck, even the sledgehammer (vs. scalpel) style 7 liter Corvette and 8 liter Viper come in under the curb weight of a 350Z, if I am not mistaken.
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Replying to: habitat1 (Apr 26, 2007 5:30 pm) Thanks for the chuckle today, I needed it! Boy am I easily amused... |
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Replying to: habitat1 (Apr 26, 2007 5:52 pm) No question the Honda is smaller. If you think that's a good thing, then you'll be happy with it. If you want a little more interior room, the Z is better. Personally, I like the fact that the Z is a bit heavier and roomier. Where I live, I have to contend with 18-wheelers and other heavy traffic on the Beltway around Washington. When I test-drove smaller roadsters (like the Miata, for instance - comparable to the Honda) I felt buffeted and blown around. In the Z, I feel secure and sure-footed. If you can manage to drive only on twisty country roads, maybe a smaller car suits you better. For real-world driving, I want something a bit more substantial. But getting to the fun part - the Z has a 3 liter, 300 hp engine that is, year after year, named to Ward's best 10 list. The Honda has a 2.2L 237 hp. The Z is faster than the Honda in the 1/4 mile, in the time to 30 and in the time to 60. And in the all-important 60 to 0. The Honda's power band is higher than the Z's and some people complain it's buzzy. The Z gives you more low-end torque for faster take-offs. Both cars are arguably going after similar buyers, although the Honda is cheaper so perhaps might be more appealing to younger people on a budget. The only way to really know is test-drive them both.
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